Aug 12, 2011 3:20 PM

Every LLWS year I hear a TV announcer say about a given team--[Majors level]--."These kids have been playing together since they were five years old"------in making a point about about how well they play together and know each other. Heard it in past years, and twice this year, including today.

Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't believe the above can happen-[at least not legally]- because of the LL rule that restricts (same) age players cannot exceed eight(8) per roster.

Bottom line: evidently, the subject TV announcers have no concept as to how a final "unit/whole" LLWS All-Star team got there----definitely not having played together as a Little League team for their entire LL career as they are inferring with their comments.

Not painting all the Regional TV announcers with that brush.

However----more experienced Williamsport announcers, in past years, have mistakenly inferred the same thing.

But, as I stated in a prior post here, got to cut the "offenders" some slack in that regard.

I'm pretty sure they're just referencing the fact that the kids have all played in the same league together since Tball. I've known three teams thave have made it to the series, none were travel teams masquerading as a little league, although some of the kids did play on outside travel teams. And, yes, in all the cases the kids had all grown up together and played ball together on various teams through Tball, Minors, and Majors over the years. Doesn't mean they were somehow determined at age 5 to be future WS players and were put on some special team and trained in secret. Just means they've all played together within the league, school, neighborhood that they grew up together in.

Well, my kids have all played in leagues that have managed to send teams to regionals or even the series. While none of my boys were ever on any of those teams that made it, they would all say that they played ball with those kids since they were little. I don't think they'd make the distinction that not all may have been on the exact same team every year. They'd just say "Yeah, I grew up playing ball with those guys".

Who's kidding who? You don't just throw a team together on June 15 and end up playing in Wpt. Every team down there is together in some form year 'round for 4 or 5 years leading up to their 12 year old season. 6 or 8 of them play on an AAU or travel team, maybe they go to the batting cage every week or two all winter, something........you cannot compete at that level if you don't do something extra.

The subject of this thread Is directed at TV LLWS announcers, when "infering" that a LLWS team has PLAYED TOGETHER----as a TEAM since age 4,5.6, or 7-------as heard by my ears----they mean as a LL unit team--->that's not true!! Unless LL rules are flagrantly violated and "blind eyes" are turned!!

All the other Non-LL activities, pre-June 15th, mentioned by you, re involved players is another story altogether!!

Wouldn't the fact that the same LL All-Star team has played together for the past 5 years qualify the statements made?

No, the same group of kids do not play together as a team during the regular LL season. But once district games begin, the same group of players for each age group are likely to be chosen.

Thus...."these kids have been playing together for the past 5 years".

I wouldn't doubt that there are towns and/or districts that manage to skirt the rules in one form or another. But I don't believe that that is necessary in order for the announcers comments to be true.